Archive for the 'Real Estate' Category

Whether you are looking to upgrade your lifestyle or seeking an investment opportunity, the option of a duplex house can be a wise and lucrative decision. A duplex, a single building with two separate living units, offers the perfect balance of homeownership and rental opportunity. This fantastic residential real estate option provides owners with financial benefits, security, privacy, and the comfort of a community lifestyle. The inquiry, ‘Duplex for sale near me‘ is becoming increasingly popular as more people realize the advantages of duplex living.

Firstly, it’s essential to understand what drives the demand for duplexes. Each half of a duplex operates independently, with usually separate entrances, amenities, and utilities, meaning you can live in one part and rent out the other. This versatile setup means that by owning a duplex, you can generate a steady rental income to help offset the cost of the mortgage. This can be a solid financial plan, particularly for first-time homeowners.

When it comes to searching for ‘Duplex for sale near me,’ remember, location matters. You need to consider proximity to schools, work, public transit, shops, and other amenities. A desirable location will not only make your life more convenient but also contribute to the property’s rental attractiveness and potential long-term value appreciation.

Real estate agents Bracken Ridge can provide expert advice in guiding you towards the best choices in your locality. They understand the local market, prices, neighborhood characteristics, and zoning laws better than most. Whether you are buying or selling across the country, real estate agents in Bracken Ridge can provide the right guidance and best investment opportunities.

A robust home inspection is necessary when considering a duplex for sale near you. Check the unit’s structure, plumbing, electrical systems, heating and cooling systems, and appliances. Examine the shared walls and yards for any boundary or privacy issues. Also, consider the rental condition and whether any renovations are required.

Next, it’s crucial to understand the criteria for renting out the property. As a landlord, you should be familiar with state and local rental laws. Remember, a good tenant can make your life easier, so establish a sound tenant selection process. Consider their ability to pay rent, rental history, and references.

Finally, realize that the financing process for a duplex can be slightly different from a single-family home. Lenders generally consider potential rental income, meaning you might benefit from better terms. Dealing with banks can be tricky, but with the assistance of financial experts, you can breeze through this process.

In conclusion, finding a ‘Duplex for sale near me‘ can offer a unique opportunity to combine homeownership and investment potential. With professional guidance from real estate agents Bracken Ridge, a thorough home inspection, understanding of landlord responsibilities, and straightforward financing, you can make the most out of this living arrangement. As with any real estate investment, it’s crucial to do ample research and make an informed decision.



Track Portfolio Performance with the Right Property Management Software

by

Amer We have been in this business long enough to know that a great work ethic and lots of patience is still not enough to ensure an effectively run property portfolio. With all of the detail that a landlord is required to track on a daily basis it is almost inevitable they will turn to new technology for help. Having years of experience in running our on property management business we soon realized that to make our lives easier we were going to need landlord software, the problem was that all of the established ones we tried out seemed to be woefully inadequate. So in consultation with other landlords we decided to design our own property management software. One of the things that experience has taught us is vital is a good report manager section. Ours is tailored to meet the needs of real landlords. It will generate a tenancy welcome pack for you. If you have a lot of properties this is just the kind of detail that you seem to spend so much of your day organising. With our landlord software this will no longer be necessary. The software will create a pack that gives the tenant all of the relevant information including details of all insurance and safety certificates and policies as well as providing information on utility providers. You just have to print it out and hand it over to the tenant. Once the tenant has started their tenancy it is obviously vital to keep track of their payment history and this landlord software will let you quickly and easily generate a report detailing how much has been paid and when as well as letting you see at a glance the number of late or additional payments the tenant may have made.This kind of information is very important to keeping on top of your rental schedule. As well as taking care of the mundane daily tasks associated with managing tenant payments and rent schedules our property management software also allows you to effectively track your total cost history. This section provides a breakdown analysis of all the expenditures you have incurred on your property. It allows you to specify a time period and quickly generate a report that lets you see purchasing and selling costs as well as general income expenditure and capital costs. This means that once the report has been executed it will give you a year by year breakdown of any and all expenditure for each property. Property software is a fact of life for most landlords these days. We know ours will make your life easier because it was designed by landlords for landlords and we use it.

Our

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Delaying Your Retirement Is A Way to Increase Your Retirement Income

by

Shane Flait

With a substantial loss in retirement savings, many about-to-retire boomers feel they have to keep working to make up for those lost savings. But regaining their previously projected retirement income may not be as hard as they think. Here\’s why that\’s so…

Retirement income tracks directly with the amount of savings you have – but only for a given retirement duration. Doubling your savings will double your retirement income if your term of retirement is fixed.

But if you work longer you not only can increase your savings, you\’re also decreasing your retirement term. Unfortunately, we don\’t live forever, so here\’s some of the silver lining for delaying retirement: for the same amount of savings, your retirement income increases the shorter is your retirement term. Incidentally, this is how life annuity income work for a given premium too.

Typically you draw retirement income from your pension, savings, and Social Security benefits. Each one of these offers you a way to increase your retirement income – if you retire later. Your pension and Social Security pay you a life time income – essentially an annuity. You can annuitize your savings for a life time income, too.

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*Pension benefits:

Your pension is a fixed income stream beginning at retirement age – it\’s essentially a life annuity. It has a present lump sum value that you can often receive in place of receiving the lifetime income stream. Most companies offer you the lump sum option if you don\’t want their annuity.

If you can work longer at your company so that you can begin your pension later at a higher income, then do so. But if you must retire from your company and take your pension, yet you want to work longer elsewhere, then take the lump sum option and invest it for however longer you want to work. Then you can annuitize it later with increased value -and shorter life expectancy – if when you do decide to retire later.

*Retirement Savings:

Working – and continuing to save – can offset those lost savings. But just working longer without saving more, will allow your savings to pay you more when you do withdraw from it later. Your term of retirement will have decreased.

If you buy an immediate annuity with those savings, your shorter remaining life expectancy will increase your monthly income. Of course if you do add more savings, then that\’s just a higher income you\’ll get too.

Holding off dipping into your savings can allow them to participate in the regrowth of the markets. Now, nothing is for sure, but, historically, the markets always regain their losses and increase. Hopefully a return of the markets will also recharge those savings too – while you wait.

*Social Security:

Social Security actually increases your monthly benefit if you delay taking them. So hold off on it too to bolster your retirement income.

Shane Flait helps you with your financial legal, tax, and retirement goals. Get his FREE report on Managing Your Retirement =>

easyretirementknowhow.com/FreeReportandSignUp.htm

Read his ebook: \’Wise Way to Financial Independence\’ =>

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Article Source:

ArticleRich.com



Submitted by: Buffy Covino

What s the big deal with setting the price of a home anyway? If I price it too high, I can always reduce , you say. Danger, danger Will Robinson (that was for all the Lost in Space fans).

It s very important to get the right data about an area you plan on selling in before you list.

Price is the number one reason a home sells or doesn t sell. If you don t have the data to back up the price, the home runs the risk of sitting on the market and the home owner usually thinks the only thing to do is that s right, you guessed it, REDUCE.

Reducing can do more damage than listing at the best price the first time. When I say best price (especially in the current market) I don t mean listing it at the same price your neighbor s house sold for that took 5 months. Your home may not be worth what it was 5 months ago. The fact that it took 5 months for it to sell should give you some idea that a buyer wasn t willing to pay that much. I dealt with many buyers that would see or read a listing that said, Just Reduced offer less and or, hold out to see if the home owner would reduce again before making an offer. And there the home sits even longer.

If you just don t have any other alternative but reducing, I suggest never putting it in the online or print advertising.

Here are a few things you can offer instead of reducing.

1)Offer to pay a percentage of buyers closing costs

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2)Offer a home warranty for a year (usual cost is between $400-$500)

3)If you live in a HOA, offer to pay the dues for a year

Listing price and sold price are two very different things. In certain areas, if a house takes 5 months to sell it usually doesn t get a full price offer.

Home pricing in a buyer s market takes careful analysis of the data if you re looking to sell faster and for the most money.

So, how do you go about getting this data? One way is to hire a real estate agent. They will research the data for you. But, most realtors only pull data from the subscribed MLS they belong to. Not all sales of real estate are performed by real estate companies. In today s market, there are many investors that know how to sell a home without an agent and there are homeowners who can t afford to pay the real estate companies commission and sell without an agent.

Another way to get the most accurate data about what has sold is to visit your local courthouse. They record every home sold in the county in order to collect property tax. It s public record and it will only cost you your time to perform a search. Should you find a sale that would benefit you and need a copy, there s probably a small fee.

Here is a list of what to look for at the courthouse.

1)Some or all of the information about recently sold prices of homes will be on a computer. Try starting with your zip code or subdivision names that are close to you.

2)Have a map for reference to pinpoint where these homes are located from yours. Some appraisers will search in a two mile radius and some will go further. Try to find this information out before you think you found the perfect comparable.

3)Hopefully the information will include square footage, (you should be very close in square footage if you want to use a home for a comparable) number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, lot size, garage size, and any additions like an extra garage, shed, porch, deck or fence.

An appraiser will make price adjustments if you have some of these additions that a comparable doesn t or vice versa.

Even if you hire a real estate company, sometimes a copy of a sold comparable from another source (a courthouse) is needed to show an appraiser just in case there s a dispute on price.

In today s market I read a lot about individuals appraisals coming in 20K-50K below what the offer was. Again, it all depends on where you live. Some areas prices are dropping while others remain steady and a few areas have risen. Make sure the data reflects your area. You may need to pull data every two weeks to be up to date with that market.

Data from a real estate agent should include;

1)Homes that have sold that compare to your home in the last 3-6 months (depending on where you live) Call a lender or ask an agent to find out how far back appraisers are going. It will make a difference.

2)Homes that are under contract that compare to your home. Look at how long it took to get a contract and how many times (if) it was reduced.

3)Homes that have expired. These are homes that just didn t sell. Try to look at the listing and figure out why. Usually it s price or condition.

4)Home that are for sale that compare to your home. You must look at the competition and price the home accordingly. If you re looking to sell fast and your home shows better, you ll probably want to price it the same or get aggressive and go lower. That way you won t be thinking about that dirty word, reduce!

Was this information useful? Please give us a rating.

About the Author: Home selling consultants provide tips and techniques through “How To Articles, printable checklists, and photo galleries on how to show a home that will attract the mosts amounts of buyers’.

How To Sell a Home Faster

Source:

isnare.com

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By Amy Nutt

One would look at a stainless steel building and not believe that it could be turned into a residential home. There are many components that stainless steel buildings lack that homes must have, so the work involved may be rather extensive. However, stainless steel buildings tend to be less expensive than the average home and may even still cost less if converted into a residential home.

But can it be done?

Yes it can. Believe it or not, a group of architects in 2006 actually turned steel shipping containers into homes. Because of this innovative accomplishment, they proved that such a feat is possible and have opened the doors to more steel structures being converted into residential homes. It first started with the military using steel storage containers as offices, showers, and bunkers.

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It is true that these structures are lacking many of the components required for a home such as wood, but many of these buildings actually have teak floors and are insulated. The lack of components hasn’t hindered designers from turning steel buildings into residential designs since 1982. However, it isn’t something we see often, but the point is that it is actually being done. It is actually growing in popularity and there are architecture firms all over the world cashing in on the benefits. They call these “Quick Houses” and they can be two-stories at 2000 square feet with large glass windows and skylights. Such a structure is built by using 5 storage buildings, which provides the owner with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The price range can be anywhere between $76,000 and $160,000 depending on how much space the owner needs. This actually comes out to be around $100 or less per square foot.

The price is actually the same if not less than an actual home built from scratch. The steel building is an existing structure that can be built upon by adding insulation if needed, carpeting the floors, adding drywall to the walls and actually creating rooms out of multiple buildings being sealed together. Bathrooms can be installed as well as heating and cooling systems. The possibilities seem to be endless, so the imagination can go a long way when turning a steel building into a home.

However, it is the building codes that tend to get in the way. Although steel buildings are stronger than other construction means, there are hurdles that must be taken care of before building can begin. There are some communities that do allow steel building construction and then again there are communities that do not. That simply comes down to the fact that new things tend to be accepted slower than the old. The truth is, though, that the fact that steel buildings can be converted into residential homes will eventually catch on and the industry will be booming.

Just think, the next time a home is built next door, it could be a steel building being converted into a residential home. Doing so provides strength and security that other construction means cannot do. Sure, it is a rather odd idea, but think about how steel can stand up to the elements. Those investing in a steel building to be converted into a residential home are more likely to have their home standing after a natural disaster than those who do not have steel homes.

About the Author: Future Steel Buildings manufactures and distributes metal buildings. We have the steel building that will suit your needs perfectly.

Source: isnare.com

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